Governor Patakis recent appointment of an Upstate police chief to head the State Liquor Authority came as a huge letdown to residents of Downtown Manhattan who were desperately hoping the governor would appoint a commissioner who lives in New York City.

Thirty-five State Senators and Assemblymembers signed a letter urging Pataki to appoint a resident of the five boroughs to the S.L.A. In addition, Community Boards 3 and 4  representing the East Village/Lower East Side and Chelsea, respectively, areas facing a serious oversaturation of bars and nightclubs  also wrote the governor to the same effect. But all their efforts were in vain.

New York City has 39 percent of the states liquor licenses and half the states population. Its absurd that we have no representation on the S.L.A. The S.L.A., however, is a body wholly controlled by the governor. And the governors appointment of Daniel Boyle, police chief of Glenville, was confirmed by the Republican-controlled State Senate. According to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silvers office, Silver  leader of the Democrat-controlled Assembly  simply cant influence the process.

Were not against nightlife. Its part of what makes New York City great. But there has been a persistent problem with the S.L.A. during Governor Patakis tenure  namely, the authority has not listened to local community boards recommendations and has repeatedly ignored and abused the 500-foot rule. This rule states that a license must be denied if three or more licensed premises are within 500 feet of the applicants location, unless granting such a license can be proved to be in the public interest.

The result is today entire neighborhoods have become bar and club zones.

We need an S.L.A. that respects a community board when it recommends denial of an application because an operator has a bad track record or the location is in an oversaturated area. And we need an S.L.A. that doesnt flout the 500-foot rule by flippantly justifying doling out licenses by saying they help the economy.

There is hope, though. Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat and New York City resident, is running for governor this year. If Spitzer is elected, we think it would be much more likely that wed at last see some city residents among the S.L.A.s three commissioners. And we would think these commissioners would be more sympathetic to our concerns than a bunch of Upstate Republicans who clearly are totally removed from what is going on down here.

The Villager has learned that Speaker Silver will hold a public hearing in the early spring on the S.L.A., at which the exemptions to and disregard of the 500-foot rule will be discussed, along with other concerns of local residents. Were glad to see Silver getting more involved on S.L.A. reform. And wed sincerely like to see Mayor Mike Bloomberg do the same.